Essay on The Duck Commander

Essay on The Duck Commander Essay on The Duck Commander he men of A&E’s wildly popular reality show â€Å"Duck Dynasty† catch squirrels with their bare hands and skin frogs with a single flick of the wrist. They say things like â€Å"My idea of happiness is killin’ things† and â€Å"That is how you trap a lizard, boys.† They sit with their legs wide apart and their barrel chests puffed out. They project a primal, frontier masculinity- the rifles slung over shoulders, the endless supply of camouflage pants, the craggy faces swallowed by beard. And for some reason, people are watching. About 8.6 million viewers tuned in to the season premiere of â€Å"Duck Dynasty" last month, beating out both â€Å"American Idol† and â€Å"Modern Family." It was the biggest audience for a reality show episode on cable this year. The current TV landscape features a slew of backwoods reality shows: â€Å"Buckwild† on MTV, â€Å"Hillybilly Handfishin† on Animal Planet, â€Å"Swamp People† on the History Channel, â€Å"Redneck Island† and â€Å"Bayou Millionaires,† both on CMT. Of the group, TLC’s â€Å"Here Comes Honey Boo Boo†- with its tiny wannabe beauty queen and her rowdy Southern brood set against a backdrop of mud-diving and pig-foot-eating- has gotten the most mainstream cultural attention, generating a debate about â€Å"hixploitation† and the queasy appeal of hillbilly reality TV. But â€Å"Duck Dynasty† remains the genre’s ratings success and breakout star, in part because it is so slyly self-aware. The â€Å"Honey Boo Boo† gang knows that they are crafting a brand, of course, and they’re good at it; they embrace country bumpkin stereotypes so fully (urging viewers to â€Å"redneck-ognize,† for instance) that it is hard not to be charmed by their total comfort with themselves. But the men of â€Å"Duck Dynasty† are savvier- after all, the show is partly a kind of promotional reel for the thriving business at its center. We have long seen reality shows that bank on the spectacle of wealth: â€Å"My Super Sweet 16,† â€Å"The Hills,† â€Å"Real Housewives,† â€Å"The Kardashians.† The opulence is a kind of joke, all that pornographic materialism, the surgically smoothed faces and the gaudy mansions. We’re supposed to shake our heads at the extravagance and feel reassured of our own relative groundedness. â€Å"Duck Dynasty,† though, makes watching other people’s prosperity feel like a less bitter pill. It stars the Robertsons, the family behind the multi-million-dollar company Duck Commander, which built its fortune manufacturing duck calls in the swampy wilds of Louisiana. Affluence is more palatable, of course, when it comes in down-market packaging, muddied and unshaven. â€Å"DUCK DYNASTY† MAKES BEING A MAN SEEM AS STRAIGHTFORWARD AS A PUNCH TO THE FACE. Like â€Å"The Osbornes† and â€Å"The Kardashians,† â€Å"Duck Dynasty† is less reality show than sitcom: for all its kooky antics, it persistently reinforces traditional family values. Each episode ends with a tidy scene in which the Robertsons say a prayer around the dinner table, grateful for the roasted duck and for each other. All the Robertson men are happily married to confoundingly sane and good-looking women. Producer Scott Gurney has called the show â€Å"’Modern Family’ in camo.† Duck Commander CEO Willie Robertson is the most responsible of the bunch, perpetually wrangling his less industrious relatives, who want only to hunt and fish. The workplace and the wilderness are dueling existential forces. â€Å"Everyone here is doing nothing, and I can’t fire you because you’re kin to me!† Willie bellows. He plays the straight man in an ensemble that includes his wisecracking brother Jase, their wacky old uncle Si, and their flinty, no-nonsense father, Phil. Willie Robertson described the show as â€Å"guided reality† in a recent interview, sounding a bit like a producer instead of a star. The characters are mugging and winking every step of the way, preempting our own judgments. Jase’s deadpan asides are a highlight of the show. â€Å"When you hear CEO, you think chief executive officer. But when I look at Willie I think that if you saw him walking down the road

Consumer Expenditure Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Consumer Expenditure - Assignment Example The most affected continent is Europe. For instance in Spain and Greece consumers have turned into investing instead of expenditure. The harsh economic conditions have made it unpredictable to spend a lot of money. This has made selling and manufacturing companies go bankrupt. In an argument by Blythe the economic conditions witnessed in Europe may be witnessed in other nations if the consumer population is not advised to spend more (56). However, the consumer population argues that the limited resources they have does not allow them to spend most of it in buying secondary goods. This scenario has forced the selling and manufacturing companies reconsider how to lure more consumers to purchase their products. This paper will focus on how consumers make decisions concerning the expenditure. Additionally, it will give an insight on how the rational consumer budgets their limited resources. It will also focus on how the selling and manufacturing companies strategize to increase the numbe r of sales of their products. The decision making process on expenditure among the consumers depend on several factors. One of the most significant factors is the income levels of the consumer. It is an obvious assumption to say that low income earners are the least spenders. With an increase of employees in this bracket the cutting cost on expenditure will continue to rise. Low income earners shift their focus first on necessary needs like paying rent providing food to their families and investing in education. Considering these priorities, it is evident that the money spend to purchase the other products is very limited. According to an argument by Barro saving also denies the consumers a significant amount of money to spend on other goods (106). It is the same scenario with high income earners. This bracket focuses more on investing and securing their financial future. With the global economy under numerous uncertainties, saving provides the most logical way to secure ones financ ial future. Apart from the income statements of consumers, the price of households goods determining the decision making on expenditure. Noel argues that a perspective on the market 2 years back from now, it is estimated that the price of general commodities has risen by an average of 50% (93). The basic needs like food and clothing have also been affected. This in turn means that, the consumer population will tend to cut cost on other products in order to have enough resources to acquire the basic goods they need. The uncertain financial and economic future has also made it difficult on consumers to spend more resources. Rational consumers on the other hand use all the means possible to maximize their resources and fulfill all their needs. Rational consumers also face the difficulty of planning expenditure on their very minimal wages and resources. To optimize this, this bracket of consumers cut expenditure cot on everything expect for the basic human needs. However, they tend to a lso spend very minimal on the basic needs. According to Blythe rational consumers greatly consider the future of their financial positions. In this way they are categorized as the least spending consumers (132). However, analysts argue that rational consumers’ decision of saving might at the end cost their financial security. According to Noel saving without spending on investing makes no difference from a person who spends money

Philosophy of religion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Philosophy of religion - Assignment Example Plato calls for an in-depth inquiry between the processes of thinking in relation to the soul. Thus, he posts a question on why should a just soul lived through a just life be the ruler of society. Rather than simply agreeing with his teacher, Plato’s dialogues seek for the confrontation of these ideas though subsequently agreeing with it (Miller, n.d., pp. 173-174). The virtuous man is another philosophical awareness that he inculcates in Republic where the ruler is demanded to be good and must prioritize the people. There is what McPherran (1996) regards as an agnostic inclination of Socrates on the goodness of death since Socrates does not claim expertise on the subject matter. He recognizes the existing religious beliefs including the tales that come with mythological teachings but does not adhere to it. He is more persuaded on gods and judges that will determine one’s fate on the afterlife (p.259). The concept of the soul and the afterlife is a widely debated relig ious topic. The conception of Socrates and the stress he puts on the tending of the soul points out to his belief on a metaphysical form of man. As a religious topic, the soul can be perceived in most of all world religions with varying understanding from heaven and hell in Christianity to reincarnation and nirvana to Buddhism along with many other beliefs. 2. Does commitment to philosophical exploration imply the embodiment of certain virtues? If so, does this, or could this, lead to the practice of asceticism? Consider either the case of Socrates or Plato (or both) to answer this question. The call of Socrates toward a virtuous life toward the nurturing of the soul and the embodiment of the just ruler does to an extent lead to asceticism as contemplated. The virtues of a ruler are of paramount importance to Socrates in the Republic. He regards that a man who desires so strongly for one thing will necessarily be weak when it comes to other things. He must be able to divert this

South Carolina Nullification Essay Example for Free

South Carolina Nullification Essay Throughout the great American history, Americans have been through a colossal amount of conflicts, and wars. However, they still figured out a way to compromise and accept each other’s differences. As America improves, they gradually lead to a making of a powerful and organized government. Yet in â€Å"South Carolina Ordinance of Nullification† a conflict arises, where South Carolina is furious at the federal government and wants the best for themselves. Like many other states South Carolina is one of which that had its own negative opinions towards the federal government, leading to a larger problem. The document â€Å"South Carolina Ordinance of Nullification† both supports and contradicts American and constitutional principles. In early 1860’s the Civil war took place, against the North and the South parts of America. In the time that was taken to reach the civil war, many small disagreements and arguments took place that eventually led to having an immense war. However, around three decades earlier, South Carolina had been having disagreements with the federal government. On May 19, 1928 the Congress of the United States passed the Tariff of 1828. The tariff was designed to protect industries in the northern United States which were being driven out of business, by low-priced imported goods by putting tax on them. Well it seems as if this was a great idea, until, the south started to feel the effects of it, on their antebellum economy. The south called the tariff of 1828, â€Å"Tariff of Abominations†. â€Å"South Carolina felt that the protective features of tariffs were harmful to them and they also claimed that they were unconstitutional because they favored North over the South. (u-s-history. com)A government should serve their people with equality and liberty. Instead the federal government chose to be unfair and help the north because that’s where they lived. This case continues to go on, as South Carolina and other southern states get more furious and lead on to making a Nullification of crisis. The Nullification of Crisis includes South Carolina’s opinions and how the tariff of 1828 is the opposit e of, liberty and justice for all. Since the federal government had passed a tariff that is unfair to the south, for the good of the North. South Carolina was so furious that they started talking about the seceding from the union and working their own independent state, where they can have their own laws. However, South Carolina believed that constitutionally, the state government of each state had more power within that state than did the federal government. Therefore, if a state considered it necessary, it had the right to nullify any federal law within its boundaries. The idea South Carolina had was injudicious, they thought of themselves as being more powerful than â€Å"The Federal Government†, the main and the most powerful government in America. The idea of a state being more powerful than a federal government does not exist. It doesn’t say anywhere in the constitution that a state could not follow the federal government laws and have more power than them as well. In addition, if South Carolina and other states had more power than the federal government, you wouldn’t need a federal government and there would be no point of having the â€Å"United States of America†. Moreover, when President Andrew Jackson found out about the nullification of tariffs passed by the congress, he declared an act of open rebellion and ordered U. S. ships to South Carolina to enforce the law. â€Å"Before federal forces arrived Calhoun and Senator Henry Clay had an agreement which lead to congress passing out the tariff of 1833. This lowered the tariff gradually over a decade and prevented any armed conflicts. †(. loc. gov) This shows the strength of the federal government over all the states. In conclusion, the â€Å"Ordinance of Nullification† was a document with many personal opinions and conflicts. For example, the federal government wasn’t equal to the south, by letting north have the positive affect of the tariff of 1928 and south have the negative affect. In result south tried to show that they have more power than the federal government by nullifying the tariffs. However all of this ended with an agreement. Throughout most of our history when a conflict derives a compromise is always made. After all, the conflict and work the Americans went through in the past, made an abundant change for us in the future.

Discover The Adventure of a Lifetime in South Dakota Essay -- Tourism

Named for the Dakota branch of the Sioux Indian Nation, the State of South Dakota is a state that tells the story of America's westward expansion in a way that just can't be found elsewhere in the country. From gold strikes to battles with the Indians, South Dakota is one state that fulfills the typical Hollywood image of the Old West. However, visitors to this fascinating state will find that the story of South Dakota is much more interesting than any Hollywood western that they have ever seen. All in all, South Dakota offers visitors the adventure of a lifetime. South Dakota's Natural Attractions One of South Dakota's finest natural attractions is Badlands National Park near Rapid City. This national park comprises 244,000 acres of protected land that features wildlife like bison and antelope. In addition to this, there are numerous fossils that are found within the park that provide an interesting look into this land's geological past. With hundreds of miles of hiking trails and numerous other activities for visitors, Badlands National Park is one natural attraction that nature lovers will definitely enjoy. Another fantastic natural attraction in South Dakota is the Black Hills National Forest near Deadwood. This magnificent forest covers an area of 125 miles long and 65 miles wide and features some of the most majestic rock formations and canyons found anywhere in the United States. In addition to its rock formations, this forest offers some of the finest biking and hiking trails found anywhere in the United States. All in all, visitors to Black Hills National Forest leave with a deeper appreciation for the gorgeous natural beauty found in this region. South Dakota's Cultural Attractions Besides having numerous ... ...uth Dakota an adventure to remember for the rest of your life. Sources â€Å"Top 10 Vacation Attractions in South Dakota,† Choice Hotels http://centralus.choicehotels.com/south-dakota-hotels/top10attractions â€Å"Most Popular Attractions,† South Dakota.com http://www.southdakota.com/most-popular-attractions/328 â€Å"South Dakota,† Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Dakota â€Å"Badlands National Park,† National Park Service http://www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm â€Å"Black Hills National Forest,† South Dakota.com http://www.southdakota.com/black-hills-national-forest/103 â€Å"Black Hills National Forest,† US Forest Service http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:-ibL4Cz7AvIJ:fs.usda.gov/blackhills+black+hills+national+forest&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a â€Å"Wall Drug,† South Dakota.com http://www.southdakota.com/wall-drug/282

The American Economy in the 1920’s Was a Bubble Destined to Burst

â€Å"The Economy of 1920’s America was a bubble destined to burst† The statement that the economy of 1920’s American was a bubble destined to burst is thoroughly correct. The uprising issues of Protectionism, weak industries, weak banks, overproduction of goods and an uneven distribution of wealth meant that America was in a vicious spending spree that could only be broken by the 1929 Wall Street Crash. When one thinks of an economic depression, one first considers the banks and how they were linked to the said crash.The banks in the case of the Depression were closely related to the Wall Street Crash. In the 1920’s banks weren’t the large networks that they are today, so when they went bankrupt, there was nothing to fall back on. Banks had also loaned out far too much money keep a stable economic flow. Many Americans also decided to join in on the share market game in hopes of living out the American Dream in a â€Å"get rich quick† manner and were borrowing huge amounts of money to invest, often in an uneducated manner.As this was continuing, banks were making it possible to borrow huge sums of money and the government, still stuck in its belief of Laisseize Fare- that is, that the government would simply let the economy sort itself out without any government intervention. With this flimsy and unstable system of banking- there was bound to be a huge economic impact such as the crash. After the atrocities of World War 1, America decided it’s safest way to keep out of global issues and wars was to focus on being a self-serving country run on the idea of Protectionism.The key act of Protectionism was that tariffs were placed on imported goods, thus making American products much more appealing to its citizens. This also created a huge economic flowing acting almost exclusively nationally. However the notion of Protectionism became detrimental to America as 23 countries soon placed tariffs on American exports that were already seen as luxuries by other countries. It could be said that most other long term causes of the crash of the American economy simply snowballed off the issue of protectionism.One of the largest of these was over production. As American export rates came down, the country was met with the newfound issue of overproduction. As sales for products such as cars dropped dramatically (how many new cars could one family need? ) America still did not stop making them. There were now warehouses full of products that were either un-wanted or that couldn’t be afforded. Soon enough, many companies began to close down in a domino ffect, leaving only the products necessary to live as a profitable part of the economy. The issue of overproduction is closely linked to the un-even distribution of wealth in America. As there were only a select few who could afford to buy the luxury items companies were trying to sell, and because of the tariffs now placed on American goods, there were no exports. As 5% of the country’s population held a massive 30% of the wealth, that too was far too unstable to continue.Thus proving that the American economy was in fact, a bubble destined to burst. The final factors of the economic crash of 1929 are closely linked. The cotton, farming and railroad industries being far weaker than they seemed and the instant panic when there was any cause for concern by the American people were both such issues because of lassiz fare and the conservative government not being willing to back down on this that the economy ended up in a crisis.There were low wages for people industrial workers and farmers- (ironically enough the jobs that could have saved the economy) yet Americans were encouraged to have the highest faith in the farming, cotton and railroad industries. In 1929- the year of the crash, President Hoover himself said that America could expect a â€Å"financial triumph over property†. It was due to this huge faith and over confidence in the economy that the panic when things went a little haywire Americans were in such shock that all they wanted to do was sell their shares and get their money back.This of course was just making matters worse for themselves and their country. It is because of these factors, that it is indeed obvious that America in the 1920’s was simply a bubble destined to burst. There were too many half-thought-out ideas put into immediate motion and the lack of communication or assistance from the American government lead to the three factors that made the American crash inevitable.

Alzheimer s Disease A Type Of Dementia - 1117 Words

A few days ago my grandmother passed away after battling with Alzheimer’s disease for more than ten years. During the last couple of years she was alive I barely ever visited her, and I never understood why she was always in bed, and whenever I went to go see her she never remembered who I was. I feel that because of this disease, I lost my grandmother a long time ago; hopefully by the end of this paper I will have a better understanding about the disease that took her away, years ago. According to the Alzheimer’s Association (2015), Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Alzheimer’s disease, a type of dementia, was first discovered by Alois Alzheimer in 1906; in which it accounts for†¦show more content†¦A common observation in the brain of people who have died from Alzheimer’s is that plaques and tangles make from protein fragments are present. (A Century of Alzheimer’s Disease) A lzheimer’s is the fourth largest cause of death in America; it usually affects people over the age of sixty, but there have been cases with younger people being affected (Alzheimer s Disease Dementia | Alzheimer s Association, 2015). The only way to detect Alzheimer’s is in the brain after death; but, it can be sense it by carefully examining a person’s physical and mental status, and by talking to the person’s friends and relatives about their background and common personality. If detected early, the results can be very beneficial and can help the person with the disease fight it better, and understand ways of trying to fight it. Some of the basic symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease include, memory loss, difficulties in speech, disorientation to time and place, poor or decreases judgment, difficulties in performing familiar tasks, misplacing things, changes in mood or behavior, and a loss of initiative. There are two types of symptoms, cognitive and behavioral. Behavioral symptoms include agitation, anxiety, delusions, depression, hallucinations, insomnia, and wandering. While cognitive symptoms include memory loss, disorientation, confusion, and problems with reasoning and thinking. (American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Alzheimer Disease and Other Dementias)